Shloka 16

कामविवाहवर्णनम् / Description of Kāma’s Marriage

Devanagari script

ज्यां पुष्पधनुषः कामः षट्पदावलिसंभ्रमाम् । विसस्मार च यस्मात्तां विसृज्यैनां निरीक्षते

Transliteration

jyāṃ puṣpadhanuṣaḥ kāmaḥ ṣaṭpadāvalisaṃbhramām | visasmāra ca yasmāttāṃ visṛjyaināṃ nirīkṣate

Translation

Kāma, wielder of the flower-bow, forgot even the twang of the bowstring and the buzzing stir of the line of bees; for he let the bow fall away and fixed his gaze upon her.

Word by Word

• ज्याम्: bowstring
• ज्याम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पुष्पधनुषः: of the flower-bow
• पुष्पधनुषः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुष्प-धनुस् ‘flower-bow’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कामः: Kāma (Cupid)
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• षट्पदावलिसंभ्रमाम्: the buzzing agitation of swarms of bees
• षट्पदावलिसंभ्रमाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्पद (प्रातिपदिक) + आवलि (प्रातिपदिक) + संभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षट्पद-आवलि-सम्भ्रम ‘agitation of a row of bees’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विसस्मार: forgot
• विसस्मार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• यस्मात्: from which / because of which
• यस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ताम्: her / that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विसृज्य: having released/let go
• विसृज्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• एनाम्: this/that woman (her)
• एनाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; enam)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनाफोरिक सर्वनाम

• निरीक्षते: looks at / observes
• निरीक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Satī

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It illustrates how kāma (desire) seizes the mind so strongly that even one’s own instrument and purpose are forgotten—showing the Shaiva Siddhanta theme that attachment is a pāśa (bond) that distracts the soul (paśu) from the Lord (Pati).

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By highlighting the mind’s tendency to fixate on form and attraction, the text implicitly points devotees toward re-centering attention on Shiva’s auspicious form (saguṇa upāsanā) and ultimately toward steadiness that supports deeper contemplation of the Liṅga as the focus of devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is pratyāhāra (withdrawing the senses) and japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to stabilize attention when desire pulls the mind outward.